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Category: Asia

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sir Mark Walport reappointed as the Royal Society’s Trustee of the British Museum

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport has reappointed Sir Mark Walport as the Royal Society Nominated Trustee for the British Museum for a four year term from 01 December 2024 to 30 November 2028.

    Sir Mark Walport

    Appointed from 01 December 2024 to 30 November 2028.

    Professor Sir Mark Walport is Vice President and Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society, Chair of the Kennedy Memorial Trust, and Trustee of the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation. He is the recently retired founding Chief Executive of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which is responsible for the public funding of research and innovation.

    He was previously the Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) and Head of the Government Office for Science from 2013 to 2017. Before these, he was Director of the Wellcome Trust, Professor of Medicine and Head of the Division of Medicine at Imperial College London, and Founder Fellow and first Registrar of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

    Mark received a knighthood in the 2009 New Year Honours List for services to medical research and was elected a Fellow of The Royal Society in 2011 and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2017.

    Remuneration and Governance Code

    Trustees of the British Museum are not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Sir Mark Walport has not declared any significant political activity.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 30 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Fiscal Affairs Department’s 60th Anniversary Conference: “60 Years of FAD: The Fiscal Affair Continues”

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    The Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD) of the IMF will celebrate 60 years since it was formed in 1964 with a one-day conference, “60 Years of FAD: The Fiscal Affair Continues,“ on November 4, 2024, in Washington D.C., USA.

    Even as prospects for a global soft landing have improved, fiscal policy continues to struggle with legacies of high debt and deficits, while facing new challenges. Risks to public finances are acute, reflecting the pressures of aging societies, industrial policies, geopolitical tensions, the needs of a greener and more equitable society and now, the threat to labor from AI technologies. Lower medium-term growth prospects have worsened debt dynamics and compounded the risks to fiscal sustainability. Fiscal policy challenges are especially acute in low-income countries, where financing is scarce and limits the ability of governments to support economic and human development.

    In this context, the conference will bring together fiscal policy experts, senior policy makers, and former and current IMF staff. They will look back at the contributions of FAD to the global fiscal policy discourse and its service to the membership. They will discuss the likely evolution of sovereign debt market and the role that public policy can play in making AI beneficial for workers and growth. And they will look ahead to the challenges that will emerge for fiscal policy in the future, and the choices fiscal policymakers will face, especially in low-income and fragile countries. The conference will also be an occasion to celebrate the evolution and impact of FAD’s capacity development (CD) from serving a small section of the membership to covering nearly every corner of the world.

    Agenda

    8:30 A.M. Coffee and refreshments
    9:00 A.M. Opening remarks. Gita Gopinath, First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, introduced by Vítor Gaspar, Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF.
    9:15 – 10:30 A.M. Sovereign Debt
     Moderator: Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, Director, Strategy, Policy and Review Department, IMF
    Panelists:

    S. Ali Abbas  (Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF)

    S. Ali Abbas is a deputy director in the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department where he supervises the sovereign debt and governance workstreams, and oversees the department’s review of Fund programs in emerging and developing economies, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. He was previously IMF mission chief for the United Kingdom and Jordan, and deputy chief of the Debt Policy Division in the IMF’s Strategy Policy and Review Department. He has been closely involved in several complex Fund programs, and has led reforms to the IMF’s exceptional access lending and debt sustainability frameworks. In 2019, he co-edited Sovereign Debt: A Guide for Economists and Practitioners (OUP), with Alex Pienkowski and Kenneth Rogoff, adding to his earlier published work on post-GFC fiscal policy, the euro area sovereign debt crisis, international tax competition, state contingent debt instruments, fiscal policy and the current account, and government securities markets. Ali is a Rhodes scholar from Pakistan and holds a doctorate in economics from Oxford. He also served as an Overseas Development Institute fellow to the Tanzanian Treasury during 2000–02.

    Carlo Cottarelli (Former Director Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF)

    Carlo Cottarelli, a citizen of Italy, after receiving degrees in economics from the University of Siena and the London School of Economics, worked at the Bank of Italy, ENI and the IMF. He was FAD Director in 2008-13, Commissioner for Public Spending in Italy in 2013-14, IMF Executive Director in 2014-17. He taught at Bocconi University and he is currently Director of the Observatory on the Italian Public Accounts of the Catholic University of Milan, where he also teaches a course of Fiscal Macroeconomics In 2021 he was awarded the honor of First Class Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

    Christoph Trebesch (Professor, Kiel University)

    Christoph Trebesch is a professor at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy and the University of Kiel. His research focuses on international finance and macroeconomics as well as political economy and geopolitics. His research has been published in leading economic journals such as the American Economic Review, the Quarterly Journal of Economics, and the Journal of Political Economy, and is regularly cited in international media, including the New York Times, the Financial Times, and the Wall Street Journal. He directs the CEPR Policy Network on “International Lending and Sovereign Debt” and co-directs the CEPR Network on “Geoeconomics”, for which he organizes an annual high-level conference on geopolitics and economics. He is also the creator of the widely referenced “Ukraine Support Tracker” on military and financial aid flows to Ukraine. In 2023, he was awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant, one of the most prestigious research recognitions in Europe.
    10:30 – 11:00 AM The Surge in FAD’s Capacity Development Delivery (A/V) Moderators:

    Katherine Baer (Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF)

    Katherine Baer is a Deputy Director in the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD). She oversees FAD’s work in the areas of taxation and public financial management, supervises Capacity Development (CD) delivery in all fiscal areas to countries in the Middle East, North Africa and Centra Asia, oversees FAD’s strategy to strengthen fiscal policies and institutions in the Fragile and Conflict-Affected States, and manages the department’s work on fiscal issues from a gender perspective. Her career at the IMF has focused on strengthening fiscal policies and institutions in member countries across all regions and income levels, and in countries experiencing economic crises. She has been an economist in the U.S. Treasury and an assistant commissioner in the Mexican Tax Administration. She also worked at the World Bank on public finance reforms in Latin America and the Caribbean at the height of the region’s debt crisis in the 1980s. Ms. Baer has many publications relating to public finance and holds a Ph.D. from Cornell University.

    Juan Toro (Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF)

    Juan Toro is Deputy Director of the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD), in charge of: managing FAD budget, relationship with development partners, overseeing governance and operations of FAD’s capacity development (CD), coordinating FAD’s CD to Europe, and coordinating FAD TA on sustainable development goals. He previously was Assistant Director in charge of the IMF’s revenue administration CD to Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Central Asia.

    He has led and participated in IMF TA missions in taxation in more than 40 countries and has authored and contributed to several analytical papers in taxation. Before joining the IMF in 2007, he was the Commissioner of the Chilean Tax Administration (Servicio de Impuestos Internos, SII) from 2002 to 2006.
    11.00 – 11:30 A.M. Coffee break
    11:30 A.M. – 12:45 P.M. FAD in the Global Discourse
    Moderator: Ruud De Mooij , Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF
    Panelists:

    Zainab Ahmed (Alternate Executive Director, World Bank)

    Alternate Executive Director from Nigeria from July 2023 to October 2024. A Nigerian national representing – Angola, Nigeria, and South Africa (EDS25). Prior to joining the WBG, Ms. Ahmed has served a:- Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning (2018- 2023); Minister of State, Ministry of Budget and National Planning (2015 – 2018); Chair of the board of Trustees of the African Union Peace Fund (2019 – 2023). Member of the International Board, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) (2016 – 2019); Executive Secretary and National Coordinator, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) (2010 – 2015); and Managing Director, Kaduna Investment Company Ltd (2009 – 2010).

    Abdulelah Alrasheedy (Deputy Minister of Macro-Fiscal Policies, Ministry of Finance, Saudi Arabia)

    Dr. Abdulelah AlRasheedy is the Deputy Minister for Macro-Fiscal Policies at Ministry of Finance (MOF). Before being named Deputy Minister in March 2024, Dr. AlRasheedy was Assistant Deputy Minister for Macroeconomic Policies Analysis and Acting as General Supervisor of Policy and Consultation Assistant Deputyship.
    Prior to joining Ministry of Finance, Dr. Abdulelah spent 12 years with Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) most recently as Manager of Economic Modeling Division and was SAMA Representative at The International Financial Architecture Working Group.
    Dr. Abdulelah earned a Ph.D.  in economics and statistics from University of Missouri, where he was a Research Scholar at the Global Institute for Sustainable Prosperity.
    In addition to being a Deputy Minister, he is a board member of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy. Also a Ministry of Finance Representative for Financial Sustainability Board. 

    Adam Posen (President, Peterson Institute of International Economics)
    Mark Sobel (U.S. Chairman, OMFIF)

    Mark Sobel is currently US Chair at OMFIF.  He served  nearly four decades at the US Treasury, including as Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Monetary Affairs from 2000-2015, a position in which he led the Department’s work in preparing G7 and G20 Finance Minister and Central Bank Governor meetings, formulating US positions in the IMF, and coordinating the work of Treasury and regulatory agencies in the Financial Stability Board.  He was also chief US financial negotiator in the G20 from 2008-2015, including for the 2009 London Economic Summit.  From 2015 through early 2018, he was US representative at the IMF. 
    12:45 – 1:00 P.M. FAD Montage (A/V)
    A look back at FAD through the decades.
    1:00 – 2:15 P.M. Lunch (by invitation)
    2:15 – 3:30 P.M. Public Policy for AI
    Moderator: Era Dabla-Norris, Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF
    Panelists:

    Simon Johnson (Professor, MIT Sloan School of Management & 2024  Nobel Prize Winner in Economics )

    Simon Johnson is the Ronald A. Kurtz (1954) Professor of Entrepreneurship the MIT Sloan School of Management, where he is head of the Global Economics and Management group. At MIT, he is also co-director of the Shaping the Future of Work Initiative and a Research Affiliate at Blueprint Labs. In 2007-08, Johnson was chief economist and director of the Research Department at the International Monetary Fund. He currently co-chairs the CFA Institute Systemic Risk Council with Erkki Liikanen. In February 2021, Johnson joined the board of directors of Fannie Mae, where he is vice chair of the audit committee and a member of the risk and capital committee. Johnson’s most recent book, with Daron Acemoglu, Power and Progress: Our 1000-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity, explores the history and economics of major technological transformations up to and including the latest developments in Artificial Intelligence.
    2024 Nobel prize laureate in economic sciences “for studies of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity”

    Branko Milanovic (Professor, City University of New York)

    Research professor at the Graduate Center, City University of New York and senior scholar at The Stone Center on Socio-economic Inequality; Visiting Professor at the Institute for International Inequalities at LSE; was lead economist in World Bank Research Department for almost 20 years and senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. Milanovic’s main area of work is income inequality, in individual countries and globally, as well as historically among pre-industrial societies. His most recent books are Global inequality: a new approach for the age of globalization which deals with economic and political issues of globalization, and Capitalism, Alone that contrasts inequality and class formation in societies of liberal and political capitalism. In October 2023, he published Visions of Inequality that looks at how income distribution was studied by the most famous economists over the past 200 years. Milanovic was awarded (jointly with Mariana Mazzucato) the 2018 Leontieff Prize.

    Christine Qiang (Global Director, Digital Transformation Global Department, World Bank)
    3.30 – 4:00 P.M. Coffee break
    4:00 – 5:15 P.M. The Future of Fiscal Policy
    Moderator: Vítor Gaspar Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF
    Panelists:

    Jason Furman (Professor, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University)

    Jason Furman is the Aetna Professor of the Practice of Economic Policy jointly at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) and the Department of Economics at Harvard University. Furman engages in public policy through research, writing and teaching in a wide range of areas including U.S. and international macroeconomics, fiscal policy, labor markets and competition policy. Previously Furman served eight years as a top economic adviser to President Obama, including serving as the 28th Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers from August 2013 to January 2017, acting as both President Obama’s chief economist and a member of the cabinet. In addition to articles in scholarly journals and periodicals, Furman is a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal and Project Syndicate and the editor of two books on economic policy. Furman holds a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University.

    Ilan Goldfajn (President, Inter-American Development Bank)

    He was elected president of the IDB in November 2022, after serving as director of the Western Hemisphere Department at the International Monetary Fund. Previously, he was governor of the Banco Central do Brasil (2016-2019), where he led several modernization reforms, including promoting financial inclusion through Brazil’s fast digital payment system. He has also held several academic positions and high-ranking roles in Brazil’s financial sector.  In 2017, he was elected Central Banker of the Year by The Banker magazine.  Mr. Goldfajn holds a doctorate in economics from MIT, and master’s degree in economics from the Pontificia Universidade and has taught economics at universities in Brazil and the U.S. He is fluent in four languages.

    Mick Keen (Professor, Tokyo University)

    Michael Keen was formerly Deputy Director of the Fiscal Affairs Department at the International Monetary Fund. He is now Ushioda Fellow at the University of Tokyo. Michael was President of the International Institute of Public Finance from 2003 to 2006, awarded the CESifo Musgrave Prize in 2010, and in 2018 received from the National Tax Association of the United States its most prestigious award, the Daniel M. Holland Medal for distinguished lifetime contributions to the study and practice of public finance. His most recent book, Rebellion, Rascals and Revenues (with Joel Slemrod), aims to use history and humor to convey basic tax principles to a wider audience.
    5:15 P.M. Closing remarks
    Vítor Gaspar (Director, Fiscal Affairs Department )
    6:00 P.M. Adjourn

    Conference Organizing Committee: Katherine Baer (Deputy Director, FAD), Mitali Das (Advisor, FAD), and Andrew Okello (Deputy Division Chief, FAD).

    Conference Coordinators: Agnese de Leo (Administrative Coordinator), Harsha Padaruth (Administrative Coordinator), Luciana Marcelino (Administrative Coordinator) Martha Gaytan Frettlohr (Administrative Coordinator), Sahara De la Torre (Administrative Coordinator), and Sheetal Prasad (Senior Administrative Coordinator) – all FAD.

    The conference (which is in-person only) is open to all Fund employees and invited external guests (registration is required of external guests who will all receive a link to the registration form). Please note that the deadline for registration for this conference is October 25th, 2024. Registered external guests will be required to present photo identification on entering the IMF at 1900 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington D.C. For questions regarding the conference, please email FAD_60th_anniversary@imf.org

    MIL OSI Economics –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Japan’s Reports on Conditions at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 29 October 2024

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    On 29 October 2024, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during July, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent to all international Missions in Japan.

    The report contains information on discharges from the subdrain and groundwater drain systems, as well as on groundwater bypassing conducted during the month of July. In both cases, in advance of the action, TEPCO analyzes the quality of the groundwater to be discharged and announces the results. These results confirm that the radiation level of sampled water are substantially below the operational targets set by TEPCO.

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: WhiteBIT Surpasses 5 Million Users, Strengthening Its Leadership in Europe’s Crypto Market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VILNIUS, Lithuania, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As WhiteBIT approaches its 6th anniversary in November, the exchange continues to reinforce its role as a prominent player in Europe’s cryptocurrency sector, driven by a focus on user experience, security, and strategic partnerships. 

    WhiteBIT, one of Europe’s largest centralized crypto exchanges, is proud to announce it has reached a major milestone, exceeding 5 million users. In the past year, WhiteBIT added over 1 million new users, more than doubling its user base since 2022. The platform’s trading volume exceeded $1 trillion across spot and futures markets, and its B2B services now support over 1,000 business clients. This growth reflects the increasing trust in WhiteBIT as a secure platform for digital asset trading among investors. 

    “Our mission from the start has been to make cryptocurrency accessible, secure, and trusted across Europe and beyond. Hitting 5 million users is more than just a number—it’s a validation of our efforts. We keep focusing on continuous innovation and fostering trust in the digital economy,” comments Volodymyr Nosov, CEO of WhiteBIT.

    Growth Fueled by Strategic Partnerships

    Partnerships have been a cornerstone of WhiteBIT’s growth strategy. Collaborations with major football clubs and organizations, such as FC Barcelona, FC Trabzonspor, and the Ukrainian national football team, as well as FACEIT in e-sports have bolstered its brand presence. Moreover, WhiteBIT has established an alliance with Georgia’s Hash Bank.

    For its institutional clients, WhiteBIT has partnered with Fireblocks, a leader in digital asset management, which strengthens its services for businesses looking to expand in the crypto space.

    Expanding Ecosystem and Technological Advancements

    WhiteBIT has also made strategic advancements in blockchain technology, unveiling its rebranded blockchain, Whitechain, which has already processed 50 million transactions and facilitated 25,000 NFTs. Additionally, WhitePool, the exchange’s Bitcoin mining pool, has ranked among the top 15 mining pools worldwide and is now one of the largest mining pool backed by a centralized exchange.

    Global Expansion and Commitment to Security

    WhiteBIT has been rapidly expanding its presence beyond Europe, establishing offices in Australia, Georgia, the UK, and Turkey. With a team of over 1,100 professionals globally, WhiteBIT is steadily growing its international footprint while staying rooted in its Ukrainian origins.

    In its growth, security remains a top priority for WhiteBIT. According to cer.live, the exchange consistently ranks among the top five most secure platforms. Its robust security protocols, including WAF firewalls, strict AML policies, and mandatory KYC procedures, recently earned WhiteBIT the Hacken Security Award 2024 at TOKEN2049 in Singapore.

    WhiteBIT continues to lead in blockchain innovation, fostering technological progress and championing the global cryptocurrency community. As the exchange grows, WhiteBIT empowers users and businesses to embrace digital assets while bridging the gap between traditional finance and the evolving world of cryptocurrency.

    About WhiteBIT

    WhiteBIT, established in 2018, is one of the largest centralized crypto exchanges in Europe. It offers over 600+ trading pairs, 300+ digital assets, and supports 9 national currencies. WhiteBIT is an official partner of the Ukrainian national football team, FC Barcelona, FC Trabzonspor, and FACEIT. The exchange is dedicated to advancing blockchain technology and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards in all jurisdictions where it operates.

    Users can visit:

    Twitter | FaceBook | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | Telegram | Discord | Medium

    Contact

    WhiteBit

    pr@whitebit.com

    The MIL Network –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Colonialism, starvation and resistance: How food is weaponized, from Gaza to Canada

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Charles Z. Levkoe, Canada Research Chair in Equitable and Sustainable Food Systems, Lakehead University

    For more than a year, the Israeli state has been engaged in a massive incursion into Gaza following the October 2023 Hamas attack against Israel.

    In March 2024, Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, announced: “There are reasonable grounds to believe that the threshold indicating the commission of the crime of genocide…has been met.”

    A core element of this apparent genocide includes food militarization and weaponization, a tactic that has also been used by Canada to exterminate, dispossess and control Indigenous populations.

    We have come together as a group of critical food systems scholars to examine the parallels between the weaponization of food in Gaza and Canada to bring about the systematic destruction of Indigenous Peoples. But we’ve also observed that food has been a powerful tool of resistance and resurgence.



    Read more:
    Israeli siege has placed Gazans at risk of starvation − prewar policies made them vulnerable in the first place

    Food as a weapon

    Throughout modern history, food has been deployed as a weapon by colonial regimes to control and displace Indigenous populations. The current crisis in Gaza has brought this into sharp focus as the Israeli state has engaged in the systematic destruction of Palestinian food systems, with devastating consequences.

    Israel’s blockade of Gaza, in place since 2007, has cut off access to essential agricultural areas and restricted fishing activities. Gaza farmers are often unable to access their land, while fishers are constantly barred from accessing the coast, harassed, intimidated and even killed by Israeli forces.

    This blockade, combined with military operations that destroy farmland, trees and infrastructure, has resulted in more than 95 per cent of people in Gaza facing severe food insecurity and a famine declared by the United Nations experts in the summer of 2024.



    Read more:
    Starvation is a weapon of war: Gazans are paying the price

    Canada’s use of food weaponization

    Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the Canadian government employed similar tactics to restrict Indigenous Peoples’ access to land, food and water. Colonial policies like the Indian Act, the Homesteading Act and the Pass System confined Indigenous Peoples to reserves, prohibited hunting and fishing and forced reliance on inadequate government food rations.

    This led to malnutrition and starvation, particularly in response to Indigenous resistance to settler expansion. The use of food as a weapon was part of a broader project to eliminate or otherwise undermine Indigenous identity and self-determination, a process that continues today.

    From ongoing boil-water advisories to environmental degradation caused by mining, oil and gas extraction, forestry, agriculture and chemical production, settler governments and industries continue to dispossess Indigenous Peoples from their lands and undermine their livelihood.

    These practices have severely and disproportionately impacted Indigenous health and well-being, as well as their food systems.



    Read more:
    Colonialists used starvation as a tool of oppression

    The Scream, by Kent Monkman (2016), was part of a travelling exhibition in 2017 on colonized Canada entitled ‘Shame And Prejudice: A Story Of Resilience.’
    (Courtesy of Kent Monkman)

    Israel targets food infrastructure

    In the occupied Palestinian territories, Israeli control over land and resources reflects a similar colonial dynamic. Laws like the Absentee Property Law of 1950 facilitated the expropriation of Palestinian land.

    Meanwhile, the Israeli military has systematically targeted Gaza’s food infrastructure and used starvation as a weapon of war, according to Human Rights Watch. Satellite imagery shows that 70 per cent of Gaza’s tree cover has been eliminated or damaged, and about one-third of greenhouses have been demolished.

    Tanks and trucks have decimated orchards, field crops and olive groves.

    An estimated 800,000 tonnes of asbestos among the debris of destroyed buildings will result in asbestos-related diseases for generations to come. Under the Geneva Conventions, destruction of civilians’ means of survival and starvation as a tool of warfare is strictly prohibited.

    Food as resistance

    Food has also long been mobilized as a powerful tool of resistance. Among Palestinians, struggles for food sovereignty have played a critical role in self-determination.

    Palestinians continue to cultivate their land under the rubble, grow olive trees despite ongoing violence and maintain food practices that connect them to their lands and their cultural heritage.

    Similarly, Indigenous nations and communities across Canada have used food as a form of resurgence. Alongside land back movements, efforts to revitalize Indigenous food systems — such as hunting, fishing, growing and gathering — are central to movements for Indigenous sovereignty.

    Learning about and enacting traditional food practices are important acts of resistance, as these practices sustain communities, strengthen connections to land and assert rights over the unceded territories Indigenous Peoples are fighting to reclaim. By reclaiming and rebuilding their land and food systems on their own terms, they continue to challenge colonial structures.

    Food, colonialism and resistance

    The destruction of food systems in Gaza and Canada is part of a larger effort of land dispossession and capitalist accumulation. By severing Indigenous Peoples’ connection to their food systems, settlers and colonial regimes have sought to control not only the land but also the people who depend on it.

    Yet, through food sovereignty movements, these same populations are reclaiming their right to self-determination and building global networks of solidarity.



    Read more:
    Indigenous food sovereignty requires better and more accurate data collection

    The struggle for food sovereignty is inseparable from broader struggles for land, justice and self-determination.

    Connecting the dots between the Palestinian territories and Canada provides powerful examples of global colonial relations and struggles for justice and self-determination. It challenges us to critically examine the role of food in these struggles and demand government accountability.

    We wish to acknowledge Mustafa Koç, professor emeritus at Toronto Metropolitan University, as a co-author and to thank Max Ajl, Yafa Al Masri and Justin Podur for contributions to this article.

    Charles Z. Levkoe receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the the Government of Ontario.

    Sarah Rotz receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    Tammara Soma receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    Martha Stiegman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Colonialism, starvation and resistance: How food is weaponized, from Gaza to Canada – https://theconversation.com/colonialism-starvation-and-resistance-how-food-is-weaponized-from-gaza-to-canada-241525

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Can a superstar hippo help save Africa’s rainforests?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Will de Freitas, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition

    The world’s first superstar hippo lives in a zoo in Thailand. Moo Deng shot to fame soon after she was born in July this year, thanks to viral videos that showed off her cute expressions and chirpy demeanour. Yet the story of her species is less happy, and reveals the close links between the extinction and climate change crises.

    Moo Deng is a pygmy hippo, a species native to the forests of west Africa. Unlike their bigger and significantly scarier cousins (regular hippos), the pygmys are secretive creatures, who like to conceal themselves in swamps and dense vegetation.

    Today, pygmy hippos are officially listed as endangered. Huanyuan Zhang-Zheng and Sulemana Bawa, conservationists at the University of Oxford, point out that 80% of their native forests have been lost. Just 2,500 remain in the wild.



    Read more:
    Moo Deng: the celebrated hippo’s real home has disappeared – will the world restore it?

    “Cocoa production is probably the biggest cause of forest loss,” they write, “then gold mining and unsustainable logging. These activities now encroach on forest reserves and other supposedly protected areas.”


    This roundup of The Conversation’s climate coverage comes from our award-winning weekly climate action newsletter. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed.

    You probably didn’t want to hear this (I certainly didn’t) but it seems chocolate is helping wipe out the pygmy hippo. This pressure is unlikely to let up any time soon: the Ivory Coast, home of most of these hippos, is also the world’s number one cocoa exporter.

    But it was another passage in their article which really caught my eye. Zhang-Zheng and Bawa wrote: “West Africa’s forest loss is particularly heartbreaking as research shows that a remaining patch may be the most productive on Earth, surpassing even the Amazon rainforest.” (Productive, in this context, refers to how much plant growth there is).

    Before extensive fieldwork beginning in 2016, researchers had underestimated the value of west African forests, particularly their capacity to store carbon and thereby offset global warming. This oversight was partly the result of these forests being hidden by clouds, which makes satellite observation difficult, and their relative neglect by western researchers compared with other ecosystems elsewhere.

    This made me wince. Has The Conversation been part of this neglect? After all, Jack and I have edited dozens of articles on the Amazon and its role in the climate system, but relatively few on forests in Africa.

    Researchers are doing their best to highlight how important these forests are for the climate. Here’s one of them, Michele Francis of Stellenbosch University in South Africa, writing about her research on a “sacred forest” in Togo, west Africa: “My calculations showed that one hectare of forest [about two and a half football pitches] is able to permanently remove as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as is released by a power station burning nearly 16 tonnes of coal.”



    Read more:
    ‘Sacred forests’ in West Africa capture carbon and keep soil healthy

    African forest elephants, like this one in the Republic of Congo, are smaller than their cousins on the savanna.
    Roger de la Harpe / shutterstock

    But Africa’s biggest forest by far is found a thousand miles to the south east, in the Congo Basin. The world’s second largest rainforest is almost half the size of the Amazon yet has only a small portion of its global fame.

    As the forest is underresearched, there are still huge discoveries to be made. Back in 2017, Simon Lewis and Greta Dargie of the University of Leeds lead a UK-Congolese team who first mapped out an England-sized tropical peatland – the world’s largest – under marshy wetlands deep in the jungles of Congo. They wrote about this for The Conversation at the time:

    After 17 days, covering just 1.5km a day, we finally reached the centre of the swamp between two of the major rivers. Our reward was not only the knowledge that these peatlands are indeed vast. We also found ever-deeper peat, reaching up to 5.9m, roughly the height of a two-storey building.



    Read more:
    How we discovered the world’s largest tropical peatland, deep in the jungles of Congo

    Peat is made of partially-decomposed plant matter and can store extraordinary amounts of carbon. Lewis and Dargie “found 30 billion metric tonnes of carbon stored in this new ecosystem that nobody knew existed. That’s equivalent to 20 years of current US fossil fuel emissions.”

    This rainforest, and its huge carbon stores, are under threat. In 2022, Lewis, writing with his Leeds colleague Bart Crezee, warned that plans to drill for oil in the Democratic Republic of Congo could be “the beginning of the end for these peatlands”.



    Read more:
    Congo peat swamps store three years of global carbon emissions – imminent oil drilling could release it

    They updated their map of Congolese peatlands and overlayed it on a map of proposed oil concessions. They discovered:

    The upcoming sale of rights to explore for fossil fuels includes close to 1 million hectares of peat swamp forest. If destroyed by the construction of roads, pipelines and other infrastructure needed to extract the oil, we estimate that up to 6 billion tonnes of CO₂ could be released, equivalent to 14 years’ worth of current UK greenhouse gas emissions.

    In late 2023, DR Congo postponed its plans to drill for oil. It seems the scientists really were listened to – for the time being at least.

    Yet oil drilling is only one threat, in one corner of a vast forest. Researchers lead by Judith Verweijen of the University of Antwerp have written about the armed conflicts and industrial mining affecting the eastern end of the same Congo Basin.



    Read more:
    Mining and armed conflict threaten eastern DRC’s biodiversity in a complex web

    The mines, for instance, degrade the soil and pollute the water, and trees must be cleared to make way for them.

    But Verweijen and colleagues say there are also indirect effects that “stem from the construction of new roads to make mining sites accessible, and population growth in the vicinity of mines. This leads to further natural resource exploitation, such as fuel and construction wood extraction, bushmeat hunting and shifting agriculture.”

    None of this has caused the same global outcry as fires in the Amazon or palm oil deforestation in Indonesia. What might fix that?

    Back to Moo Deng. Many conservation academics will tell you that a single well-known species can be the key to saving an entire ecosystem and its often boring-but-crucial biodiversity. Protect the tigers, pandas or pygmy hippos, and you’ll also ensure the survival of the worms, ants and peat bogs.

    If it takes a viral hippo to at least cast some attention on the disappearing rainforests of Africa, then so be it.

    – ref. Can a superstar hippo help save Africa’s rainforests? – https://theconversation.com/can-a-superstar-hippo-help-save-africas-rainforests-242481

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: South Carolinians Affected by Hurricane Helene Can Apply for FEMA Assistance and SBA Disaster Loan at the Same Time

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: South Carolinians Affected by Hurricane Helene Can Apply for FEMA Assistance and SBA Disaster Loan at the Same Time

    South Carolinians Affected by Hurricane Helene Can Apply for FEMA Assistance and SBA Disaster Loan at the Same Time

    In addition to applying for FEMA assistance, homeowners and renters in designated South Carolina counties have the option to apply for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration at various stages of their recovery. While FEMA doesn’t require survivors to apply for an SBA loan before being considered for FEMA assistance, the SBA can offer financial support to individuals and business owners to aid their recovery.Homeowners and renters in Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union and York counties and the Catawba Indian Nation can apply for federal assistance.How To Apply for FEMA AssistanceThe quickest way to apply is to go online to DisasterAssistance.gov.To get in-person assistance, you can visit any Disaster Recovery Center. To find a center close to you, please go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362. You can also apply using the FEMA App for mobile devices or calling toll-free 800-621-3362. The telephone line is open every day. Help is available in many languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. For a video with American Sign Language, voiceover and open captions about how to apply for FEMA assistance, select this link FEMA programs are accessible to survivors with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. FEMA assistance is available for people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.How To Apply for SBA Disaster LoansThe SBA offers disaster loans to assist businesses, private nonprofits, homeowners and renters with their recovery. Homeowners and renters are eligi­­ble to apply for disaster loans to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate and damaged or destroyed personal property. Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for loans to cover physical damage. Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) are also available to qualified businesses and nonprofits to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster.
    dalton.kramer
    Wed, 10/30/2024 – 18:38

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: MEF Honors Industry Leaders at GNE 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DALLAS, Texas, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MEF, a global industry association of network, cloud, security, and technology providers accelerating enterprise digital transformation, today announced winners of its 2024 MEF NaaS Excellence Awards. These awards recognize outstanding achievements by service providers, technology providers, and professionals pioneering the future of digital services in an ecosystem optimized for a cloud-driven experience.

    Winners were unveiled at MEF’s Global Network-as-a-Service Event (GNE) happening this week in Dallas, Texas and selected by a distinguished panel of senior industry analysts from ACG Research, Analysys Mason, Appledore Research, Atlantic-ACM, AvidThink, Dell’Oro Group, Frost & Sullivan, IDC, Omdia, TeleGeography, and Vertical Systems Group. 

    “We are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2024 MEF NaaS Excellence Awards, celebrating the visionaries advancing the automated network ecosystem,” said Nan Chen, CEO, MEF. “As the industry shifts toward dynamic, cloud-based service models, these awards recognize the achievements of the companies and individuals whose dedication and innovation are shaping the future of digital communications. This year’s honorees exemplify leadership and commitment to a future-ready, cloud-optimized ecosystem.”

    2024 MEF Excellence Awards Winners

    Service Provider Category:

    NaaS Service Provider of the Year

    • Global – Colt Technology Services
    • Europe – Colt Technology Services
    • North America – Lumen Technologies
    • Asia Pacific – Console Connect
    • Latin America – Ufinet

    Best NaaS Vision

    • Colt Technology Services

    MEF 3.0 CE Service Provider of the Year

    • Global – Tie: Verizon Business and Tata Communications
    • Europe – Comcast Business
    • North America – Verizon Business
    • Asia Pacific – Tata Communications
    • Latin America – Ufinet

    Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Service Provider of the Year

    • Global – AT&T
    • Europe – Sparkle
    • North America – AT&T
    • Asia Pacific – Tata Communications
    • Latin America – Cirion Technologies

    SD-WAN Service Provider of the Year

    • Global – AT&T
    • Europe – Colt Technology Services
    • North America – AT&T
    • Asia Pacific – Tata Communications
    • Latin America – Cirion Technologies
    • Middle East / Africa – CMC Networks

    Service Automation Leadership

    • Global – AT&T
    • Europe – Colt Technology Services
    • Asia Pacific – Console Connect
    • Latin America – Orchest Technologies

    Best Services Ecosystem Automation Platform

    • Colt Technology Services

    Technology Provider Category:

    Network Technology Vendor of the Year

    Best NaaS Vision

    SASE Vendor of the Year

    SD-WAN Vendor of the Year

    LSO Solution Provider of the Year

    Most Impactful Service Automation Vendor

    • Netcracker Technology

    Most Innovative Service Automation Vendor

    • InsidePacket

    NaaS Accelerator Live Best of Show

    • Silent Comet – Amartus, NTT Communications, Tata Communications

    Professional Awards:

    MEF Distinguished Fellow

    • Isabelle Morency, Head of Engineering and Standards, Iometrix

    Michael Howard Industry Impact Award

    • Roy Chua, Founder and Principal Analyst, AvidThink

    Industry Executive of the Year

    • Kelly Ahuja, CEO, Versa Networks

    For more information, please visit https://www.mef.net.

    About MEF 
    MEF is a global consortium of service, cloud, cybersecurity, and technology providers collaborating to accelerate enterprise digital transformation. It delivers standards-based frameworks, services, technologies, APIs, and certification programs to enable Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) across an automated ecosystem. MEF is the defining authority for certified Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO) business and operational APIs and Carrier Ethernet, SASE, SD-WAN, Zero Trust, and Security Service Edge (SSE) technologies and services. MEF’s Global NaaS Event (GNE) convenes industry leaders building and delivering the next generation of NaaS solutions. For more information about MEF, visit MEF.net and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.  

    Media Contact: 
    Melissa Power 
    MEF 
    pr@mef.net

    The MIL Network –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: SUM Renews Traditions: The University Hosted the D.S. Lvov National Economic Forum

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On October 30, 2024, the National Economic Forum named after D.S. Lvov was held at the Information Technology Center of the State University of Management, within the framework of which a new master’s educational program of the Eurasian Network University “Economics of Integration Processes in the Eurasian Economic Union” was opened.

    The plenary session was attended by: Vice-Rector of the State University of Management Maria Karelina, Co-Chair of the Forum, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Head of the Department of Institutional Economics of the State University of Management Georgy Kleiner, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Director of the Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences Albert Bakhtizin, Head of the Scientific Direction “Macroeconomics and Institutional Theory” of the Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences Viktor Dementyev, Director of the Department of Support of New Businesses of the State Corporation “Rosatom” Dmitry Baidarov, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Head of the Department of Economic Policy and Economic Measurements of the Institute of Economics and Finance of the State University of Management Sergey Glazyev. The moderator was Director of the IEF of the State University of Management Galina Sorokina.

    The renewal of the tradition of holding the Forum will allow the State University of Management to advance in economic science. This was stated by the Vice-Rector of the State University of Management Maria Karelina. Addressing all participants, students of Academician Dmitry Lvov and future economists, she also noted that this decision will contribute to interdisciplinary research, which is especially relevant today.

    It should be noted that this year marks the 70th anniversary of Dmitry Lvov’s graduation from the Moscow Ordzhonikidze Engineering and Economics Institute (now the State University of Management). The head of the Department of Institutional Economics at our university, Georgy Kleiner, delivered a report to the audience. Georgy Borisovich drew attention to the fact that not many economists offered their economic paradigm to the world. Academician Lvov saw the essence of economics in the fusion of material factors, spiritual quests, emotions and institutional influences. It is thanks to this science that we are a society. A person is not only the main resource of the economy, but also a beneficiary, a source of progress. He should not be a hostage to the economic system, but a part of it. Dmitry Lvov’s key idea was that the economy should be a link between man and humanity. It was to study such global issues that Academician Lvov created the first Department of Institutional Economics in Russia at the State University of Management.

    During the active work of Dmitry Lvov, the Internet had not yet penetrated into all spheres of life, but today the academician’s speeches would be constantly on everyone’s lips, because he outraged the space with uncomfortable questions. This was very subtly noted by the director of the Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Albert Bakhtizin. Back in 2004, he drew attention to the depopulation of Russia, the unfair division of resources, noted the importance of contacts with China, described the instruments of pressure of the USA on other countries, that is, he saw the contours of the future world order. The speaker analyzed modern economic problems in detail, in particular, he noted that even experts in the USA understand how harmful excessive dollarization is for the world economy.

    Viktor Dementyev, head of the Macroeconomics and Institutional Theory research department at the Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, gave a report on the topic of “The Resilience of Russian Regional Economies under Different Shocks.” According to him, the modern economy has experienced four shocks: the Great Recession of 2009, the sanctions wave of 2015, the pandemic, and, of course, the second wave of sanctions, which is still ongoing. Research has shown that entities that are resilient to one shock are also resilient to others. But at the same time, methods for successfully overcoming one crisis do not always work under another.

    Dmitry Baidarov, Director of the Department for Support of New Businesses at the Rosatom State Corporation, expressed the opinion that economic challenges facing Russia did not appear after the start of the SVO or during the pandemic – they have always been there, it’s just that the attitude towards them was different before. The history of Rosatom shows that if you pay attention to a gap in the economy in time, you can quickly and effectively fill it. For example, the corporation currently fulfills 88% of global orders for the construction of nuclear power facilities. Dmitry Baidarov regretfully noted that the paradigm of a competitive rather than a partnership economy, imported from outside, still prevails in Russia. The speaker said that Rosatom only realized two years ago how much engineers and economists are needed in production, and there are almost none left on the labor market, so the focus of the State University of Management on training just such specialists is very timely.

    Sergey Glazyev, Head of the Department of Economic Policy and Economic Measurements at the Institute of Economics and Finance at the State University of Management, said that Dmitry Lvov was his academic advisor, with whom they substantiated the priorities of Russia’s new economic development and discussed the need to create state corporations as opposed to the fragmentation of production cycles. China has followed this path and achieved a lot, and we are facing dynamic catch-up, which is also impossible without the creation of state corporations. For an economic breakthrough, we need not just a sharp increase in investment, but targeted investment lines. The experience of Asian economies shows that this is the only way it works. If we followed the ideas of Lvov, who claimed that money cannot be a moral value and the core of the economy, we would already be world leaders along with India and China, where this is carefully monitored.

    The second part of the plenary session was no less interesting and productive. It was dedicated to the opening of the educational program of the Eurasian Network University “Economics of Integration Processes in the Eurasian Economic Union”.

    The program was presented by the Vice-Rector of the State University of Management Dmitry Bryukhanov, who noted that questions about the “fifth freedom”, freedom of knowledge, are becoming increasingly loud today, so the opening of the new program is fully supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and Rossotrudnichestvo. The Vice-Rector reported that the program was developed with the assistance of the Eurasian Economic Commission and about 20 master’s students have already been enrolled, and training will start this week. The process will be hybrid, for which a special information environment has been developed.

    One of the developers of the program, Deputy Director of the Department of Macroeconomic Policy of the Eurasian Economic Commission Kanybek Azhekbarov wished all applicants good studies and drew the attention of those gathered to the fact that the program was created on the basis of additional professional education, which has already trained 40 specialists.

    The head of the program, Sergey Glazyev, thanked the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the government of Kyrgyzstan and the State University of Management for their support. He shared plans to expand the program and noted that the Eurasian Economic Union and its labor market cannot effectively exist without a common educational space, and the State University of Management is an excellent platform to begin forming it.

    At the end of the new program, students were presented with a symbolic pass to the State University of Management. After the break, the Forum continued in sections and round tables.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 10/30/2024

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Inside Myanmar with Jason Tower of the USIP – The Diplomat

    Source: United States Institute of Peace

    Jason Tower is the country director of the Burma Program at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), where he closely follows Myanmar’s civil war, human trafficking, and the industrialization of scam compounds, which have spread across Southeast Asia in recent years.

    He holds unique insights into what is happening on the ground in Myanmar and has authored several reports for USIP over recent years, which include dire warnings about the conflict and the impact this is having on the civilian population.

    A veteran with two decades of experience in regional security, Tower also sounded the alarm on the growth of human trafficking and scam compounds in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, which are “rapidly evolving into the most powerful criminal network of the modern era.”

    Tower spoke with The Diplomat’s Luke Hunt at length about the fall of Myawaddy to anti-regime forces in April and what actually happened afterwards in regards to the Karen National Union and the local Border Force Guard and why many in the rebel camps felt betrayed.

    He also talks about the spectacular failures of the military on the battlefield and China’s expanding role in the conflict as it shores up its own financial and strategic interests – including its oil and gas pipeline that cuts across the country – by drawing ever closer to the junta and its leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing.

    This includes the complex relationship between the Arakan Army and the Rohingya in Rakhine state where the fighting has been brutal in recent months with the military desperately trying to hang on to what few areas it still controls.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Amazing, incomparable and unimaginable! Many congratulations to the people of Ayodhya for the grand and divine Deepotsav:PM

    Source: Government of India

    Amazing, incomparable and unimaginable! Many congratulations to the people of Ayodhya for the grand and divine Deepotsav:PM

    After 500 years, this holy moment has come after countless and continuous sacrifice and penance of Ram devotees: PM

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 10:44PM by PIB Delhi

    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has extended warm congratulations and heartfelt wishes to the people of Ayodhya and the entire nation on the occasion of the grand and divine Deepotsav celebrations. 

    In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister expressed his joy and pride over the luminous festival being held at Ayodhya, the sacred birthplace of Lord Shri Ram and said 
    “Amazing, incomparable and unimaginable!

    Many congratulations to the people of Ayodhya for the grand and divine Deepotsav! This Jyotiparva at the holy birthplace of Ram Lalla, illuminated by millions of diyas, is going to be emotional. This beam of light emanating from Ayodhya Dham will fill my family members across the country with new enthusiasm and new energy. I wish that Lord Shri Ram blesses all the countrymen with happiness, prosperity and a successful life.
    Jai Shri Ram!”

     

    अद्भुत, अतुलनीय और अकल्पनीय!

    भव्य-दिव्य दीपोत्सव के लिए अयोध्यावासियों को बहुत-बहुत बधाई! लाखों दीयों से आलोकित राम लला की पावन जन्मस्थली पर यह ज्योतिपर्व भावविभोर कर देने वाला है। अयोध्या धाम से निकला यह प्रकाशपुंज देशभर के मेरे परिवारजनों में नया जोश और नई ऊर्जा भरेगा। मेरी… https://t.co/kmG57AJiPH pic.twitter.com/1Dyz6Ztamf

    — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 30, 2024

     

    Highlighting the importance of this Diwali he has further said 
    “Divine Ayodhya!

    This is the first Deepawali after Maryada Purushottam Lord Shri Ram has been enthroned in his grand temple. This unique beauty of Shri Ram Lalla’s temple in Ayodhya is going to overwhelm everyone. After 500 years, this holy moment has come after countless sacrifices and continuous sacrifice and penance of Ram devotees. It is our good fortune that we all have become witnesses of this historic occasion. I believe that the life of Lord Shri Ram and his ideals will continue to be an inspiration for the countrymen in achieving the resolution of a developed India.
    Jai Siya Ram!”

     

    अलौकिक अयोध्या!

    मर्यादा पुरुषोत्तम भगवान श्री राम के अपने भव्य मंदिर में विराजने के बाद यह पहली दीपावली है। अयोध्या में श्री राम लला के मंदिर की यह अनुपम छटा हर किसी को अभिभूत करने वाली है। 500 वर्षों के पश्चात यह पावन घड़ी रामभक्तों के अनगिनत बलिदान और अनवरत त्याग-तपस्या के बाद… https://t.co/e0BwDRUnV6

    — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 30, 2024

     

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: RINL Conducts ‘Grama Sabha’ at Deshapatrunipalem as Part of Vigilance Awareness Week 2024”

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 9:45PM by PIB Delhi

    Following guidelines from the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and under the direction of RINL’s Chief Vigilance Officer, Dr. S. Karuna Raju, IAS, As part of Vigilance Awareness Week (VAW) 2024, the Vigilance Department of RINL, the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam steel plant  organized a Grama Sabha at  ZP High School Deshapatrunipalem, Parawada Mandalam of Anakapalli district, today.

    Grama Sabhas are conducted in villages to encourage direct, participatory governance. This open forum allows villagers to monitor and evaluate the activities, minimizing corruption and promoting accountability. This also serves as a platform for raising awareness on critical social issues, like anti-corruption during Vigilance Awareness Week. By conducting Gram Sabhas, rural communities can be more actively involved in shaping their development and improving their quality of life. The initiative is aimed to promote awareness about anti-corruption measures, ethical practices, and to foster a culture of integrity in the community.

    Today’s event saw enthusiastic participation, with over 200 attendees, including students, parents, teachers, and local villagers. Officers from the Vigilance Department facilitated the program, working closely with the Headmistress of the school, Smt. R. Sujatha, and community supporter, Sri Jagannadam, to bring together a diverse and engaged audience.

    During the Grama Sabha, Mr. P. Satyanarayana, Senior manager(Vigilance),RINL highlighted the significance of the Vigilance Awareness Week (VAW) 2024 theme and its pivotal role in strengthening the anti-corruption movement. He emphasized the importance of fostering transparency, accountability, and integrity at all levels of society to combat corruption effectively. Mr. Satyanarayana encouraged collective efforts to build an environment that discourages corrupt practices, underlining that each citizen’s active participation is essential to creating a fair and just community. His address inspired attendees to embrace ethical conduct and reinforce the spirit of vigilance for a corruption-free society.

    Students, villagers and RINL officials took the “Integrity pledge” on the occasion.

    The gathering was also addressed by V. Sugunakara Rao, DGM (Vigilance), RINL who highlighted the critical role of transparency and honesty in building a prosperous nation. Headmistress Smt. Sujatha also addressed the attendees, underscoring the importance of ethical values in everyday life. Students and parents openly shared their perspectives, reflecting the strong community engagement fostered by the event.

    Senior Vigilance officers, including S. Kiran Kumar, DGM (Vigilance), K. Rajeswara Rao, AGM (Vigilance), T. Srinivasa Rao, Sr Mgr, were also present and engaged actively with the community.

    Participants expressed heartfelt gratitude for the Vigilance Department’s initiative, appreciating RINL’s commitment to fostering integrity within the community.

    The Gram Sabha not only provided a platform for raising awareness but also strengthened the resolve of the attendees to adopt and promote ethical practices, contributing to the vision of a corruption-free society.

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Empowered Committee for Animal Health Reviews Advancements Made in India’s Animal Health Sector

    Source: Government of India

    Empowered Committee for Animal Health Reviews Advancements Made in India’s Animal Health Sector

    Mock Drill Planned to Enhance Operational Readiness for Animal Disease Responses in the Country

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 9:41PM by PIB Delhi

    The 8th meeting of the Empowered Committee for Animal Health (ECAH) of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) was held on October 28, 2024, under the chairmanship of Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, and vice-chaired by Mrs. Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary, DAHD, at Vigyan Bhawan.

    The representatives of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Biotechnology (DBT) etc. were present as a member to discuss advancements in India’s animal health sector.

    During the meeting, the department highlighted the efforts and the achievements made so far in regulatory streamlining of animal drugs, vaccines, biologicals, and feed additives. The department also reported significant progress made in various on-going vaccination programs for livestock diseases such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), Brucellosis, Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), and Classical Swine Fever (CSF) that is receiving 100% central funding under the Livestock Health & Disease Control Program (LH&DCP). Notably, all these vaccines are developed indigenously and manufactured domestically, demonstrating India’s commitment to self-sufficiency and global cooperation in animal health. Furthermore, the Principal Scientific Advisor was also briefed about the progress made on the National Digital Livestock Mission (NDLM), that aims to digitally identify and register all livestock and animal husbandry activities, including vaccination, breeding, and treatment in the country. The digital platform is currently handling over 16 transactions every second, showcasing the program’s extensive reach and efficiency.

    Under the One Health Mission, the department will soon conduct a mock drill focused on animal disease response to improve operational readiness for disease management. Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood also lauded the launch of the $25 million G -20 Pandemic Fund Project recently along with The Standard Veterinary Treatment Guidelines (SVTG) and the Crisis Management Plan (CMP) for Animal Diseases. The Pandemic Fund Project aims to fortify laboratory capacities, enhanced disease surveillance and strengthen human resource to bolster resilience in animal health systems in the country.

     The ECAH also deliberated upon the recently released Poultry Disease Action Plan that lays emphasis on proactive disease management through biosecurity measures, enhanced surveillance, and vaccination protocols, thereby safeguarding both poultry population and public health in India. In response to the High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in Kerala in the past, the department has developed a comprehensive strategy to control and contain the disease spread, preventing significant public health hazards. It was informed, during the meeting that Compensation rates for forced culling of poultry  were revised and communicated to all states and UTs during the month of September by the department.

    It was also highlighted that World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has recently recognized ICAR-NIVEDI, Bangalore for PPR and Leptospirosis as WOAH Reference Laboratories in India. Previously, ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal (for Avian Influenza) and KVFSU, Bangalore (for Rabies) have already been given this recognition highlighting DAHD’s continued commitment to enhancing animal health.

    Empowered Committee on Animal Health

    Established in 2021, ECAH serves as DAHD’s think tank, providing evidence-based insights and policy recommendations on national health programs, emerging disease threats, One Health initiatives, and regulatory frameworks for veterinary vaccines, drugs, and biological.

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prime Minister expresses happiness on Thailand PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s gesture

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 9:38PM by PIB Delhi

    The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has expressed his  happiness on the gesture of Thailand PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra. H.E. PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra, inaugurated the Amazing Thailand Diwali Festival 2024, today, at Pahurat, Little India, Bangkok. PM has expressed his  best wishes for the Amazing Thailand Diwali Festival. It will deepen the cultural bonds between India and Thailand, says the PM. 

    The Prime Minister posted on X:

    “Delighted by PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s gesture. My best wishes for the Amazing Thailand Diwali Festival. May it deepen the cultural bonds between India and Thailand.” 
    @ingshin

     

    Delighted by PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s gesture. My best wishes for the Amazing Thailand Diwali Festival. May it deepen the cultural bonds between India and Thailand. @ingshin https://t.co/7TDRP5eKKn

    — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 30, 2024

     

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prime Minister interacts with young civil servants during Aarambh 6.0

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Prime Minister interacts with young civil servants during Aarambh 6.0

    PM urges the young civil servants to improve ‘Ease of Living’ for citizens

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 9:13PM by PIB Delhi

    The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has interacted with young civil servants during Aarambh 6.0. Prime Minister had extensive discussions with young civil servants on improving governance with the spirit of Jan Bhagidari. The importance of having strong feedback mechanisms and improving grievance redressal systems was also highlighted by the PM. The Prime Minister urged the young civil servants to improve ‘Ease of Living’ for citizens.

    The Prime Minister posted on X:
    “Interacted with young civil servants during Aarambh 6.0. We had extensive discussions on how to improve governance with the spirit of Jan Bhagidari. Also highlighted the importance of having strong feedback mechanisms and improving grievance redressal systems. Urged the young civil servants to improve ‘Ease of Living’ for citizens.”

     

    Interacted with young civil servants during Aarambh 6.0. We had extensive discussions on how to improve governance with the spirit of Jan Bhagidari. Also highlighted the importance of having strong feedback mechanisms and improving grievance redressal systems. Urged the young… pic.twitter.com/oHnSVXrNbj

    — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 30, 2024

     

    ***

    MJPS/VJ
     

    (Release ID: 2069731) Visitor Counter : 49

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prime Minister inaugurates key development works in Kevadia, Gujarat

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 9:02PM by PIB Delhi

    The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has inaugurated key development works in Kevadia, Gujarat. The development works will further enhance the facilities at Kevadia.

    The Prime Minister posted on X:
    “Inaugurated key development works in Kevadia which will further enhance the facilities there.”

     

     

    ***

    MJPS/VJ

    (Release ID: 2069725) Visitor Counter : 26

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Railway Protection Force Enhances Security Measures for Diwali 2024 Travel Rush – Shares Essential Safety Tips for Rail Passengers

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Railway Protection Force Enhances Security Measures for Diwali 2024 Travel Rush – Shares Essential Safety Tips for Rail Passengers

    With the festive rush of Diwali and Chhath Puja adding to the daily passenger traffic, RPF is dedicated to ensuring safe and enjoyable journeys for rail travelers across India’s extensive railway network.

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 8:51PM by PIB Delhi

    If you come across any suspicious substances on railway premises, please inform the Railway Protection Force (RPF) using the designated helpline. As Diwali approaches, bringing light, joy, and a surge in travel across the country, the RPF has implemented strengthened safety measures to ensure secure and seamless train journeys for millions of passengers.

    To ensure safe travel during this festive season, RPF has launched an all-encompassing safety drive to curb fire hazards and prevent accidents on the railway network. In collaboration with various stakeholders in Railways, RPF’s awareness campaign includes distributing leaflets, displaying eye-catching posters, performing engaging street plays (Nukkad Nataks), and broadcasting public announcements. Social, print, and electronic media are being mobilized to reach all travellers. Enhanced luggage inspections and parcel checks, alongside monitoring of vendors and hawkers using portable stoves (sigris), have been underway since October 15, 2024, to prevent any fire risks.

    So far, this proactive drive has led to 56 individuals being booked under the Railway Act for carrying hazardous, inflammable items. Additionally, 550 people have been penalized for smoking on trains and 2,414 individuals were booked under various provisions of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA).

    “Diwali and Chhath are festivals of joy and togetherness, and the safety of our passengers remains our top priority,” said Shri Manoj Yadava, Director General, RPF. “We urge passengers to be vigilant and cooperate with our personnel to ensure a secure journey,” he added

    With the aim of preventing accidents and crimes, RPF has issued a comprehensive safety advisory to safeguard passengers travelling in railways

    · Report any firecrackers, inflammable items, or suspicious objects or individuals on trains or at stations immediately to RPF/GRP personnel or Railway Authorities.

    · Keep your valuables close and in sight.

    · Travel light and choose digital payments for added safety.

    · Ensure children are always accompanied by adults.

    · Pay attention to announcements and follow railway staff instructions.

    Security Measures In Full Force:

    · Increased surveillance through CCTV cameras at major stations

    · Intensified patrolling by RPF personnel in trains and stations

    · Collaboration with Government Railway Police (GRP) for effective crime prevention

    · Regular checks on luggage and passengers

    · Passengers shall report any security concerns Rail Madad web portal (https://railmadad.indianrailways.gov.in) or through mobile application or can even dial the 139 helpline number.

    ***

    Dharmendra Tiwari/Shatrunjay Kumar

    (Release ID: 2069721) Visitor Counter : 49

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Some reports published in media mentioning shortage of DAP in Punjab to affect prospects of Rabi crop are misleading, misplaced and devoid of factual position

    Source: Government of India

    Some reports published in media mentioning shortage of DAP in Punjab to affect prospects of Rabi crop are misleading, misplaced and devoid of factual position

    In Oct-2024 (upto 29.10.24), 92,000 MT of DAP, 18,000 MT of NPKs and 9,000 MT of SSP have been supplied to Punjab by the Centre

     About 90,000 MT of DAP, 49,000 MT of NPK and 76,000 MT of SSP are available in the state for farmers at present

    Government of India to dispatch about 50,000 MT of DAP in first week of Nov-2024

    Domestic production of DAP and NPK is at an optimum level

    Government of India has maintained stable fertilizer prices (₹1350 for a 50 kg bag) through two back-to-back cabinet decisions, ensuring affordability for farmers

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 8:31PM by PIB Delhi

    Some reports published in the media recently claiming shortage of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) in Punjab and its resultant effect on prospects of Rabi crop are misleading, misplaced and devoid of factual position.

    It is clarified that the Government has already provided sufficient quantities of the DAP and Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) Fertilizers to the state of Punjab to ensure the adequate availability of the Phosphorus & Potassium (P&K) fertilizers.

    It may be noted that at the beginning of October-2024, 99,000 Metric tonnes (MTs) of DAP, 59,000 MTs of NPKs and 78,000 MT of Single Superphosphate (SSP) fertilizer was available in the stock of the state. Further, in Oct-2024 (upto 29.10.24), 92,000 MT of DAP, 18,000 MT of NPKs and 9,000 MT of SSP have been supplied to the state by the Department of Fertilizers, Government of India. Thus, in Oct-24 (upto 29.10.24), Department has ensured total availability of 1,91,000 MT of DAP, 77,000 MT of NPKs and 87,000 MT of SSP.

    As per data in Oct-2024 (upto 29.10.2024), 1,00,000 MT of DAP, 28,000 MT of NPKs and 12,000 MT of SSP have been consumed in the state for Rabi-2024-25 cropping season. Thus, at present about 90,000 MT of DAP, 49,000 MT of NPK and 76,000 MT of SSP are available in the state for farmers and the Department of Fertilizers is dispatching about 50,000 MT of DAP in the first week of Nov-2024.

    It may be noted that the department of fertilizers, Government of India in coordination with the State Agriculture Department has ensured comfortable availability of fertilizers in the country during the Kharif 2024 Season.

    Recently, the import of DAP got affected due to the Red Sea crisis, ongoing since January, which has resulted in fertilizer ships to reroute an additional distance of 6500 km via the Cape of Good Hope. Despite these challenges, the Government of India has maintained stable fertilizer prices (₹1350 for a 50 kg bag) through two back-to-back cabinet decisions, ensuring affordability for farmers.

    Further it is clarified that the domestic production of DAP and NPK is running at optimum level. The department is continuously monitoring state requirements and import flows to manage the situation effectively. Situation is being monitored very closely through effective coordination with M/o Railways, State Government, Port Authorities & Fertilizer Companies.

    *****

    MV/AKS

    (Release ID: 2069712) Visitor Counter : 19

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ministry of Tourism Announces Prequel Events for Mysuru Sangeetha Sugandha Festival 2024

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 8:23PM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Sangeet Natak Akademi, is thrilled to announce the Mysuru Sangeetha Sugandha Festival 2024, a celebration of Karnataka’s rich musical and cultural heritage. The festival, set to take place from 8th to 10th November 2024 in Mysuru, will showcase Karnataka’s vibrant traditions, especially its profound connection to Carnatic music.

    The Mysuru Sangeetha Sugandha Festival aims to position Mysuru as a premier destination for music lovers across India and the world. Through this festival, Mysuru will be highlighted as a center of the timeless traditions of Carnatic music. This celebration also provides an excellent opportunity to promote lesser-known destinations around Mysuru, unveiling the region’s scenic landscapes, historical temples, and hidden cultural treasures for travellers seeking unique experiences. By spotlighting these gems, the Ministry hopes to drive regional tourism growth and support local communities.

    A special highlight of the festival is its tribute to the Dasa Tradition, a significant influence in the evolution of Carnatic music. The compositions and contributions of the Dasas have shaped this classical art form, making Mysuru a fitting venue to celebrate these timeless musical legacies.

    To generate excitement and connect communities across Karnataka, the Ministry is pleased to announce a series of prequel events, to be held at four culturally significant locations. These prequel events will feature distinguished Carnatic musicians and create a buildup to the main festival.

    Prequel Events Schedule:

    1.         Prequel Event I – National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Bengaluru

    Date: 2nd November 2024

    Venue: NGMA, Bengaluru

    49, GF, Manikyavelu Mansion, Palace Rd, Vasanth Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560 052.

    Artist: R.A Ramamani, Carnatic Vocalist

     

    2.         Prequel Event II – Sri Aprameya Swamy Temple, Doddamallur,

                Channapatna Taluk

    Date: 2nd November 2024

    Venue: Sri Aprameya Swamy Temple, Channapatna Taluk

    Artist: T.V Ramaprasad, Carnatic Vocalist

     

    3.         Prequel Event III – Ramamandiram, Rudrapatna, Hassan District

    Date: 2nd November 2024

    Venue: Ramamandiram, Rudrapatna

    Artist: Amith Nadig, Carnatic Flutist

     

    4.         Prequel Event IV – Kalanatha Sathamanostava Sabha Bhavana, Araga

    Date: 3rd November 2024

    Venue: Kalanatha Sathamanostava Sabha Bhavana, Araga

    Artist: Vishnudev Namboodri, Carnatic Vocalist

     

    These prequel events aim to foster a deeper appreciation for Karnataka’s musical heritage and to inspire communities to partake in the grandeur of the Mysuru Sangeetha Sugandha Festival. The Ministry of Tourism invites all to join in these celebrations and explore the cultural and scenic beauty of Karnataka.

    ***

    SKT/

    (Release ID: 2069706) Visitor Counter : 21

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Raksha Mantri celebrates Diwali with troops in Tezpur, Assam; Lauds their spirit, commitment & courage as they serve the motherland in difficult circumstances

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Raksha Mantri celebrates Diwali with troops in Tezpur, Assam; Lauds their spirit, commitment & courage as they serve the motherland in difficult circumstances

    Reviews 4 Corps’ operational readiness & infrastructure development along LAC

    Govt will continue the process of peace restoration along LAC on the basis of consensus achieved with China: Shri Rajnath Singh

    “All necessary steps will be taken keeping in mind the interests of our forces”

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 8:09PM by PIB Delhi

    Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh celebrated the festival of lights ‘Deepawali’ with troops at the 4 Corps Headquarters in Tezpur, Assam on October 30, 2024. Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi; General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command Lt Gen RC Tewari; General Officer Commanding, 4 Corps Lt Gen Gambhir Singh and other senior officials of Indian Army were present on the occasion.

    Addressing the soldiers during Barakhana, Raksha Mantri referred to the consensus reached between India and China to restore the ground situation in certain areas along the LAC. He said: “India and China were in diplomatic and military talks to resolve their conflicts in some areas along the LAC. We have reached a consensus following our continuous efforts. We achieved this success due to your discipline and courage. We will continue this process of peace restoration on the basis of the consensus. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to say we can change our friends but not our neighbours. We believe in keeping cordial relations with our neighbours. This is India’s clear policy. However, sometimes situations arise and one has to ensure the safety & security of the borders. Keeping in mind the interests of our forces, the government will take necessary steps in this process of peace restoration.”

    Shri Rajnath Singh commended the unwavering spirit, steadfast commitment and remarkable courage of the troops who serve on the frontlines in difficult circumstances, terming them as a true source of inspiration to the youth. He stated that the nation will forever remain indebted to the soldiers who serve the motherland with unmatched bravery and dedication.

    Raksha Mantri added that India’s rising stature on the global stage is largely attributed to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the strength of its Armed Forces. He urged the soldiers to remain alert and ready to deal with threats which may emerge from the ever-evolving global security scenario.

    Shri Rajnath Singh praised the concept of Barakhana, emphasising its role in fostering camaraderie among the ranks. “Barakhana illustrates that we are more than just our official titles; we are a family united in our commitment to safeguarding the nation,” he said.

    Earlier, Raksha Mantri conducted a thorough review of the formation’s operational readiness. He was briefed on the infrastructure development along the LAC and the employment of cutting-edge military equipment & technology to enhance the operational efficiency. He commended the exemplary dedication and outstanding services rendered by all ranks of the Corps under challenging conditions and complimented for the excellent work carried out by the Corps for  the nation building in border areas.

    ****

    SR/Savvy

    (Release ID: 2069702) Visitor Counter : 98

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare Notified additional installment of Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief to Pensioners, due from 01.07.2024

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 7:28PM by PIB Delhi

    The Union Cabinet has approved the additional installment of Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief @ 3% to Central Government employees and pensioners due from 01.07.2024. In pursuance, DoPPW has issued OM dated 30.10.2024 for all Central Government Pensioners/Family Pensioners.

    Therefore, Central Government Pensioners/Family Pensioners will become entitled to higher amount of Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief respectively, w.e.f. 01.07.2024 from the existing rate of 50% to 53% of the basic pension/family pension (including additional pension/family pension) w.e.f 01st July, 2024.

    These rates of DR will be applicable to (i) Civilian Central Government Pensioners/Family Pensioners including Central Government absorbee pensioners in PSU/Autonomous Bodies in respect of whom orders have been issued vide this Department’s OM No. 4/34/2002-P&PW(D) Vol.II dated 23.06.2017 for restoration of full pension after expiry of commutation period of 15 years (ii) The Armed Forces Pensioners/Family Pensioners and Civilian Pensioners/Family Pensioners paid out of the Defence Service Estimates, (iii) All India Service Pensioners/Family Pensioners (iv) Railway Pensioners/Family Pensioners (v) Pensioners who are in receipt of provisional pension.

                   ***

    NKR/KS/AG

    (Release ID: 2069682) Visitor Counter : 45

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal Advocates Planned Measures against Artifi cial Flooding in Dibrugarh

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal Advocates Planned Measures against Artifi cial Flooding in Dibrugarh

    Shri Sarbananda Sonowal attended the Meeting on the Final Master Plan of Dibrugarh Vision-2045 by Dibrugarh Development Authority

    ● “Pollution Free Dibrugarh with Waste to Wealth and Waste to Energy Programmes for Sustainable Development of the City”: shri Sarbananda Sonowal

    ● “391 Sq Km of Future Dibrugarh City to have many water bodies which must be honoured dutifully”: Shri Sonowal

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 7:20PM by PIB Delhi

    Delhi, 30 October, 2024: The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal attended the meeting on the Final Master Plan of Dibrugarh – Vision 2045 – by the Dibrugarh Development Authority (DDA) here today. The masterplan by DDA envisaged challenges that comes along rapid development and progress of the city and provided modern solutions in order to ensure better quality of living as well as ensuring sustainable development. 

    Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Dibrugarh has a rich legacy, it has a rich history, one that needs to be taken into account while we move ahead to reclaim it and build it on the premises of sustainable development. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, India is moving swiftly towards realising the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat by 2047. Dibrugarh, which is rich with tremendous potential for economic development, is also working towards becoming a modern, self suffi cient

    Viksit Dibrugarh for Viksit Bharat!

    With the aim of reviving the lost heritage of Dibrugarh, attended a meeting on the Final Master Plan of Dibrugarh Vision-2045 by
    Dibrugarh Development Authority.

    Together, we have to make the city free from pollution, waste and artificial… pic.twitter.com/CHCup6PCVp

    — Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) October 30, 2024

    and sustainable urban centre of growth with elevated quality of living. In the future, the premises of the city is likely to reach 391 square kilometres which will also include water bodies including rivers. Our planning should be meticulous to the point that such gifts of mother nature is respected as we must take all possible steps to protect the environment. The master plan of Dibrugarh should take this aspect into account while working out solutions to ensure sustainable development. Our city is a beautiful urban dwelling and we must take measures to arrest any possibility of artifi cial fl ooding. It is most important that scientifi c measures must be applied for swift disbursal of any fl ooding. The mother nature has blessed us with a natural bounty and we must take steps to preserve it for our future generations. Many steps initiated by the Modi Government like Waste to Wealth or Waste to Energy must be roped in to nip the pollution in the bud. Our effort, through this meeting here today, is an attempt to build an argument for a greener, healthier and happier Dibrugarh.” 

    The meeting was attended by Rameswar Teli, ex-Union Minister of State and MP (Rajya Sabha); Prasanta Phukan, MLA, Dibrugarh; Dr Saikat Patra, Mayor, Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation (DMC), Ujjwal Phukan, Deputy Mayor, DMC; Tankeswar Sonowal, Chief Executive Member (CEM), Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council; Bikram Kairi, District Commissioner, Dibrugarh among other prominent members of the society. 

    NKK/AK

    (Release ID: 2069678) Visitor Counter : 19

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: National Integration Day Observed in the National Commission Of Minorities

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 7:13PM by PIB Delhi

    The National Integration Day, a significant occasion to promote unity, harmony and inclusiveness was commemorated on 30th October 2024 in National Commission for Minorities (NCM), in honour of the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The Chairman, NCM administered the pledge with all officers and staff members of NCM. While remembering the exemplary contribution of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel towards unity of the nation, Chairman, NCM also emphasised the importance of embracing our cultural, linguistic and regional differences, fostering a sense of belongingness amongst all citizens. On this occasion, Vice-Chairman, Member and Secretary, NCM also remembered Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as a key architect of India’s unity and that the day serves as a reminder of the strength that lies in our diversity.

    On the eve of Deepawali festival, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Member and Secretary, NCM extended best wishes to all officers and staff for a happy, cracker free and safe Deepawali.          

    ***

    SS/PRK

    (Release ID: 2069672) Visitor Counter : 56

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CDS Gen Anil Chauhan embarks on an official visit to Algeria

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 7:05PM by PIB Delhi

    Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan will embark on an official visit to Algeria from 31st October to 4th November 2024, reflecting the deepening ties between India and Algeria in the realm of defence cooperation. This visit underscores the growing engagement between the two nations, which share a commitment towards strengthening diplomatic and military cooperation.

    During his visit, Gen Chauhan is scheduled to call on the General of Army Said Chanegriha, Chief of Staff of the People’s National Army, and engage in wide-ranging discussions with senior officials from the Ministry of National Defence (MoND) of Algeria. The discussions would focus on enhancing military cooperation, with emphasis on securing strategic interests, capacity building, training, technology exchange and ‘Make In India’ initiatives. In a significant step, the Chief of Defence Staff will also be signing a Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation, reaffirming the military collaboration between both nations.

    A key highlight of the visit will be the Military Parade and Ceremony commemorating Algeria’s 70th Anniversary of the Glorious revolution of 01 Nov 1954, where General Chauhan has been invited as the Guest of Honour. In furtherance to India’s commitment to professional military training and education, the CDS is set to visit the prestigious Higher War School in Algeria, a premier institution known for training Algeria’s military leadership, where he will address senior officers.

    This visit is expected to elevate the defence partnership between India and Algeria, and foster mutual trust and understanding. The visit follows in close steps with the recently concluded visit of the President of India to Algeria, eralier in October 2024.

    ****

    VK/SR/Anand

    (Release ID: 2069661) Visitor Counter : 17

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Vice-President’s greetings to the nation on the eve of Deepawali

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 6:54PM by PIB Delhi

    On the auspicious occasion of Deepawali, I extend my heartfelt greetings and warm wishes to all fellow citizens of Bharat.

    Deepawali, celebrated with reverence and joy not only in Bharat but by our diaspora across the world, symbolizes the timeless victory of light over darkness, hope over despair, and knowledge over ignorance. Deepavali, for all of us, carries a message of righteousness, urging us to fulfill our duties with unwavering integrity and dedication.

    The Deepotsav at Ayodhya this Deepawali will be a truly divine spectacle, bringing our people together in celebration as the brilliance of diyas lights up the world as well as the inner sanctum of our minds and souls.

    As we light our lamps, may the radiance of Diwali illuminate our path, guiding Bharat towards a future of unity, prosperity, and boundless progress. May the light of this festival inspire wisdom, compassion, and peace in our hearts, enriching our lives and strengthening our communities.

    Wishing everyone a joyous and blessed Deepawali!

    Following is the Hindi version of message:-

    दीपावली के इस शुभ अवसर पर, मैं भारत के सभी नागरिकों को अपनी हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ और स्नेहपूर्ण अभिवादन प्रेषित करता हूँ।
     
    प्रकाश द्वारा अंधकार पर, आशा की निराशा पर एवं ज्ञान की अज्ञानता पर कालजयी विजय का प्रतीक दीपावली का त्योहार भारत तथा विश्व भर में हमारे प्रवासी समुदायों द्वारा श्रद्धा एवं हर्षोल्लास के साथ मनाया जाता है।
     
    यह पर्व हमें नीतिपरायणता और समर्पण का संदेश देता है, जो हमें अपने कर्तव्यों का सत्यनिष्ठा से पालन करने के लिए निरन्तर प्रेरित करता है।
     
    इस दीपावली पर अयोध्या में आयोजित दीपोत्सव एक अद्भुत दृश्य होगा जो सभी को एकजुट करेगा। दीपों की रोशनी न केवल इस संसार को अपितु हमारे मन और आत्मा की गहराईयों को भी प्रज्वलित करेगी।
     
    आइए इस दीवाली पर आस्था के दीपक जलाकर अपना मार्ग रौशन करें तथा भारत की एकता, समृद्धि और असीमित प्रगति का मार्ग प्रशस्त करें। इस पर्व की आभा हमारे दिलों में ज्ञान, करुणा और शांति को प्रेरित करे, हमारे जीवन को समृद्ध बनाए और हम सभी को मज़बूती दे।
     
    सभी को दीपावली की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं !

    ****

    JK/RC/SM

    (Release ID: 2069655) Visitor Counter : 62

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Paddy Procurement in full swing in the Food bowl of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Paddy Procurement in full swing in the Food bowl of India

    Center committed to achieve procurement targets and not a single grain will be left unprocured

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 6:52PM by PIB Delhi

    Punjab/ Haryana Procurement Estimates- KMS 2024-25

    Punjab and Haryana are the food bowls of our country and like every year 185 LMT and 60 LMT of paddy is estimated to be procured from these two states respectivelyduring KMS 2024-25. These two States account for almost 40 percent of Central Pool procurement. The procurement operations are ongoing in full swing in both the States. Though the procurement of paddy commenced on October 1, 2024 in Punjab and on September 27, 2024 in Haryana, due to heavy rainfall in September and the resultant higher moisture content in paddy, the harvesting and procurement were delayed.However, despite a late start, both the states are well on track to achieve the estimates of paddy procurement by stipulated datesi.e November 30th2024 for Punjab and November 15th for Haryana.

    Procurement operations

    Till date 10 lakh farmers in Punjab and 4.06 lakh farmers in Haryana have registered to sell their produce in KMS 2024-25. In Haryana 45 LMT of Paddy has been procured till 29th October, 2024 which is 87 % of 52 LMT procured till 29th October, 2023. In Punjab 67 LMT of Paddy has been procured till 29th October, 2024 which is 80% of the quantity of 84 LMT procured last year on the same date. Compared to the previous year, the procurement of paddy in Haryana and Punjab is similar compared to the pan-India procurement in percentage terms, by 29th Oct 2024.

    Facilitation of Rice Millers

    Like every year, rice millers are on boarded by the State government for the milling operations. Out of 4400 millers who applied for delivery of Custom Milled Rice (CMR), work has been allotted to 3850 millers by the state government of Punjab by Oct 29th, 2024. Further, in Haryana, 1452 millers applied for delivery of CMR and work has been allotted to 1319 millers by the state government. Every day on an average, around 4 LMT of Paddy is being lifted from the Punjab Mand is which indicates that the remaining estimate of 118 LMT of paddy will be smoothly achieved by November 30th, 2024.Similarly,in case of Haryana, the remaining estimate of 15 LMT shall be easily achievedby 15th Nov, 2024 keeping in view the average lifting of paddy of appx 1.5 LMT per day.Procurement of Paddy in Kaithal and Kurukshetra districts, including mandis at Dhand and Pundri, is in full swing and almost at the level of last year’s procurement figures.

    With the specific aim of facilitating Rice millers, an app based FCI Grievance Redressal System (FCI GRS) for Rice Millers has been launched on 28th October 2024 by the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. This will facilitate rice millers in getting their grievances addressed by the FCI in an efficient, transparent and time bound manner.

    MSP Regime Strengthened

    Union Government is committed to ensure that the benefit of MSP regime is smoothly realized by all the farmers. The MSP of paddy has increased from Rs 1310/Qtl in 2013-14 to Rs 2300/Qtl in 2023-24. Since 2018-19, MSP has been assured with a return of at least 50% over all-India weighted average cost of production. As on 29th Oct, 2024, an amount of Rs 13211 crore has been released to350961 farmers in Punjab and an amount of Rs 10529crore has been released to 275261 farmers in Haryana for KMS 2024-25. The amount is being credited to the bank accounts of the farmers through DBT within 48 hours of procurement. The entire procurement operations have been digitized to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability which reflects the commitment of the Union Government to further strengthen the MSP regime.

    Record Budgetary Allocation

    The budgetary allocation and release for food subsidy has increased to more than four times in the last ten years than the preceding ten years. Around 21.56 lakh Crores has been spent on food subsidy during 2014-15 to 2023-24 as compared to around 5.15 lakh Crores during 2004-05 to 2013-14. During the COVID period, the fund allocation towards food subsidy was increased substantially due to 5Kg of additional food grains made available to each NFSA beneficiary free of cost, which continued till December 2022.  Since 1.1.2023, the Central Issue Price (CIP) has been made zero keeping in view welfare of the poor and vulnerable sections of the society and ensuring uniformity in the entire country. AAY households and PHH beneficiaries are being provided foodgrains free of cost under PMGKAY from 01.01.2023.

    The Union Government is committed to procure the estimated target of 185 LMT and 60 LMT of Paddy in Punjab and Haryana respectively, and not a single grain shall be left unprocured.

    *******

     

    AD/AM

    (Release ID: 2069653) Visitor Counter : 85

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: VISIT OF AIR CHIEF MARSHAL AP SINGH, CAS AT JAMMU AND FORWARD IAF BASES ON THE EVE OF DIWALI

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 6:45PM by PIB Delhi

    On the eve of Diwali, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff visited Jammu and some of the forward locations, where the air warriors of the IAF are deployed. During the visit the CAS took a detailed overview of the operational readiness at these locations and interacted with the air warriors and agniveers posted there.

    During the interaction, he emphasised on the importance of remaining vigilant and prepared at all times to safeguard national security concerns. He complimented the air warriors for their dedication and selfless duty at these forward locations. The visit by the CAS during the festival season was a great reflection of the commitment towards welfare and motivation of the troops deployed on the frontiers.

     

    ***

    VK/JS/SM

    (Release ID: 2069650) Visitor Counter : 25

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ferry Services Resume between Neamati – Kamalabari Channel as IWAI Dredges Sizeable Silt

    Source: Government of India

    Ferry Services Resume between Neamati – Kamalabari Channel as IWAI Dredges Sizeable Silt

    Ferry Services between Jorhat & Majuli disrupted as channel depth of Neamati-Kamalabair became 0.5 meters against minimum of 1.5 meters

    IWAI’s CSD Alakananda along with Tug Boat Khudiram Bose started dredging the affected 2 kms stretch for safe sailing of vessels

    Jet Dredging along with Pipeline Dredging techniques used for swift passage on the blocked channel

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 6:42PM by PIB Delhi

    Delhi, 30 October, 2024: The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the nodal agency of inland waterways under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), Govt of India,  successfully commenced the dreading in the Neamati-Kamalabari channel to facilitate resumption of ferry services. The team, led by experts from the IWAI, have been using CSD Alakananda along with Tug Boat Khudiram Bose to successfully remove sizeable quantity of silt from the mouth of the channel, which has allowed to reclaim 2 meters of Least Assured Draft (LAD) at the mouth of the channel for safe passage and resumption of ferry services. The ferry service in the said stretch stopped after LAD dropped to less than 0.50 meters.

    The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal took to X (formerly twitter) and said, “Expedient efforts, including dredging operations by IWAI and Govt of Assam, have ensured resumption of ferry services between Majuli & Jorhat on NW 2 (Brahmaputra). Double Engine Govt is ensuring seamless connectivity for welfare of citizens.”

    The ferry services remain disrupted or stalled from 20 October. To open up the channel, the Govt of Assam requested for Dredging and application of other means of development of fairway in the silted channel for resumption of ferry service. The vessels have been using the Neamati-Afalamukh route to Majuli which has more than 2.5 meters of LAD. However, considering the traffic density, one route is not sufficient and the Neamati Kamalabari channel is important to remain functional. Following survey by the IWAI team, the action plan was drawn which was presented to the Transport Minister of Assam, Keshab Mahanta during his visit to assess the condition of the channel on 23 October. Consequently, the dredging unit – CSD Alakananda, Pipelines, anchor pontoons and one Tug (work boat) Khudiram Bose – was moved from Dibrugarh. Jet Dredging &   Pipeline dredging technique was also used for faster clearing of the channel while Bandalling has been used to make a barrier the branch channel.

    Speaking on the challenges, the Director (I/C), IWAI, Prabin Bora said, “This was a challenging task as the LAD dropped considerably making it unsafe for boats to sail. Along with the IWT Dept of Govt of Assam officials, we made an action plan as we moved the dredging unit here from the ongoing work at Bogibeel. For next four days, (from 25 October to 29 October), our team worked round the clock to clear the mouth of the channel. The minimum length to be dredged in the channel is about 2 kms and we made a rough estimate that thousands of cubic meters of silt to be dredged.”

     

    *****

    NKK/AK

    (Release ID: 2069647) Visitor Counter : 46

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Monthly review of accounts of Government of India upto September, 2024 (FY2024-25)

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 6:16PM by PIB Delhi

    The Monthly Account of the Government of India upto the month of September, 2024 has been consolidated and reports published. The highlights are given below: –

    The Government of India has received ₹16,36,974 crore (51.0% of corresponding BE 2024-25 of Total Receipts upto September, 2024) comprising ₹12,65,159 crore Tax Revenue (Net to Centre), ₹3,57,214 crore of Non-Tax Revenue and ₹14,601 crore of Non-Debt Capital Receipts. ₹5,44,803 crore has been transferred to State Governments as Devolution of Share of Taxes by Government of India upto this period which is ₹89,359 crore higher than the previous year.

    Total Expenditure incurred by the Government of India is ₹21,11,494 crore (43.8% of corresponding BE 2024-25), out of which ₹16,96,528 crore is on Revenue Account and ₹4,14,966 crore is on Capital Account. Out of the Total Revenue Expenditure, ₹5,15,010 crore is on account of Interest Payments and ₹2,14,658 crore is on account of Major Subsidies. 

    ****

    NB/KMN

    (Release ID: 2069625) Visitor Counter : 63

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister Shri Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurates Medical Inspection Room online to providing medical facilities in emergency situations at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 6:28PM by PIB Delhi

    Shri Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Minister of Civil Aviation, unveiled the Medical Inspection Room via online mode, with a view to providing medical facilities in emergency situations to the employees working in Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, New Delhi. Free medical examination assistance will be provided to the personnel of various organizations working in Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan such as Ministry of Civil Aviation, IAF, CISF and other private agencies.

     

    Under Special Campaign 4.0, the place which was lying idle was renovated for creating the Medical Inspection Room by removing the unused and obsolete material. In this medical room, a doctor’s chamber, an examination room, visitor area and nursing station have also been prepared. A doctor and a nurse will be available for service on all working days.

     

    Shri Ram Mohan Naidu praised the collaborative efforts of all involved, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing health of officials.

     

    PSF/DK

    (Release ID: 2069636) Visitor Counter : 41

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 25, 2025
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